Preamble Hello. Well, with four overs to go it looked like England would be chasing about 190. Instead, it will be 236, which is a completely different kettle of something or other. I'm not confident.

Post-preamble The Guardian's fish, chips and peas is really very tasty. And here come Andrew Strauss and Ed Joyce, who has quickly become his compatriot Barry Glendenning's favourite.

1st over: England 0-0 (Strauss 0, Joyce 0) Shoaib Akhtar opens the bowling and fails to take a wicket with his first ball, as he did on Tuesday. In fact, he fails to take a wicket for the entire over, which was a maiden to Andrew Strauss. Always said Shoaib was a flash in the pan.

2nd over: England 0-0 (Strauss 0, Joyce 0) Mohammad Asif takes the new cherry from t'other end, and he's lucky to get away with what looked suspiciously like an off-side wide to the left-handed Ed Joyce, who then edges the ball just short of Inzamam-ul-Haq at first slip. Great delivery and Asif is already making the ball talk. Another maiden. Rollicking start by England.

3rd over: England 9-0 (Strauss 1, Joyce 8) Strauss gets going with a firm cut for a single off Shoaib, and there's a lovely stroke from Joyce - a square-drive for four that should give him real confidence. And there's four more, this time through extra cover. I've seen him play quite a lot in county cricket and - boy! - can he drive.

"Are you and Smyth setting up Glendenning (see the last e-mail that Smyth referenced at the end of the Pakistan innings)?" asks Jim Longworth. "Does Paul Willow really possess "marvellous mammaries" or is there a vowel missing from the author's name? Something has to amuse anybody listening to TMS and following the Grauniad OBO from the wilds of Pennsylvania..." It might well be Paula rather than Paul, but Smyth and I like to think otherwise.

4th over: England 17-0 (Strauss 9, Joyce 8) Asif drifts to leg and Strauss loves it there: that's his first boundary, through midwicket off his hip. Asif responds by squaring Strauss up with a beauty. He's such a good bowler. Asif is then convinced he has Strauss caught by Inzamam at first slip and so are the Pakistan fielders, but Strauss is incandescent ("You're joking!" he is picked up as saying on the stump microphone) and the TV umpire agrees with him. Or at least he rules that there was sufficient doubt, which there surely was. I don't think that was bad sportsmanship from Inzy - he genuinely thought it was out rather than catching it on the half-volley. And to irritate Asif further, Strauss then tucks his last ball to fine leg for four. The crowd are booing, but there's no need for that. And now Inzy is having a word with the umpires. All a bit needless...

"While cricket's record of supporting its players through mental health problems is as impressive as Spinal Tap's record of looking after drummers, Tresco must leave the Test stage now and go back to county cricket to Ramprakash the bowlers next summer," says Gary Naylor. "But the record of cricketers returning from exile is good (Gooch, Warne, Sir Geoffrey), so all is not lost." Phew.

5th over: England 18-0 (Strauss 9, Joyce 9) Inzy looks aggrieved, not for the first time this summer. It was one of those appeals that looked out from one angle and definitely not out from another. My gut instinct is that it was probably out, but the TV umpire decided there was enough doubt. One off Shoaib's over.

6th over: England 19-0 (Strauss 9, Joyce 10) Joyce uses his feet to work Asif to midwicket for a single, before Asif goes up for an lbw shout against Strauss that pitched outside leg. For once, a good decision by an Aussie umpire called Darrell/Daryl. Good over.

"Strauss's incandescence amounts to a comment of "you're joking!"?!" exclaims Henry Mance. "Bloody toffs." This is a family website, Henry.

7th over: England 25-0 (Strauss 14, Joyce 11) Joyce drops a quick single into the off-side off Shoaib, who looks knackered as usual after only three and a bit overs. Strauss then goes on tiptoes to crack Shoaib in front of point for four - great shot. A quick single completes a decent over for England. And this is a very decent start.

"I think Jim Longworth (3rd over) is losing the plot a bit," says John Edwards. "The burning question with Paul Willow is not his first name, but whether he has a cousin named Stumpy... Yes, I am also easily amused. Dull council work has that effect." I think I want to cry.

8th over: England 31-0 (Strauss 19, Joyce 12) Strauss pulls Asif high but not particularly handsome for three and Shoaib Malik gets the heel of his boot on it at deep midwicket. Joyce then pulls for a single. There was a feeling early on in his career that he didn't play the short ball too well, and that was not exactly conclusive evidence to the contrary. Still, it's a nice evening, so let's not quibble. And there's two more to Strauss, this time with a neat tuck off his pads. Good stuff from the two Middlesex left-handers.

9th over: England 37-0 (Strauss 24, Joyce 13) On comes Rana Naved for Shoaib (4-1-16-0), and his second ball is chopped to third man for a single by Joyce, who is playing only his second ODI here. But since his first was against Ireland - yes, his own country - it's fair to say this is his first proper test. Sorry, Glendenning. Strauss then flaps him clumsily to fine leg for four. England need another 199.

WICKET! Joyce c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Asif 13 (38-1) Joyce plays at one that leaves him and Akmal dives to his left to take a good catch. No doubt about that one.

"Nothing family about the OBO," retorts Henry Mance. "All the hours wasted here must have ruined dozens of marriages. Unless there are hundreds of happy couples crowded round their laptops..." Er, there are. Aren't there? Any married couples out there as I write?

10th over: England 38-1 (Strauss 25, Bell 0) Another quick wicket now, as I always seem to write at least three times per OBO, and England could be in trouble.

"Once upon a time I would have thought Gary Naylor (over 4) was on drugs," says Si Begley. "Tres is a fantastic player and one of the main reasons for England's resurgence over last 6 years (perfect foil for Vaughan as opener/vice-cpt). But evidence over last 12 months (return from India, Test average 27 this year and, worryingly, not smashing it around in 1-dayers where he normally looks so at ease) does suggest that Cook and Strauss would be the better opening pair in Oz. Tres is not a happy bunny at the minute. Out of form professionally and out of sorts personally. Relying on the guy in Oz is surely pushing him too far."

11th over: England 43-1 (Strauss 29, Bell 0) Rana starts with a leg-side wide, then sends down a leg-stump half-volley which Strauss helps to long leg for four. Rana is furious with himself. I think Inzamam is furious too, but he just looks big and galumphing. Rana is struggling with his line here, as he has done all series.

12th over: England 45-1 (Strauss 30, Bell 1) Bell gets going with a quick single to backward point off Asif, who rarely looks one insulting joke away from erupting. Strauss moves to 30 with a leg-side single, and he's looking very in control here. With Marcus Trescothick no longer the Ashes shoo-in he once was, Strauss really needs to carry this sort of form into the winter. Asif then goes up for a stomach-churning shout for lbw against Bell, but Harper says not out, and rightly so: the ball cut back but it hit Bell outside the line of off-stump and he was playing a shot. Asif, though, is making the ball misbehave as the sun sets over Trent Bridge.

13th over: England 49-1 (Strauss 33, Bell 1) Strauss works Naved for two through midwicket, and there's another leg-side wide. At the moment Rana is not the bowler who did so well for Sussex in the early part of the season. To compund matters, Inzamam - who is the first to look hacked off when Rana slips down leg - misfields at midwicket to gift Strauss a single.

"Over on Sky Sports Extra, tennis players are grunting and trying to find "The Zone"," reveals Gary Naylor. "However, the US Open's Hawkeye can identify to the millimetre the ball's bounce for line calls. So why can't Sky go to Hawkeye to identify the bounce for slip catches?"

14th over: England 56-1 (Strauss 39, Bell 2) Shot of the innings from Strauss, who times Asif down the ground for four. He doesn't often score runs there, which makes it all the more eye-popping when he does. Strauss has dominated this innings so far. A hundred from him would settle matters. Or is that stating the obvious? Probably. Anyway, a single to both batsmen there is followed by another one to Strauss off his hip. Trademark stuff.

15th over: England 57-1 (Strauss 40, Bell 2) Rana is making the ball swing a bit here under the lights. Batting conditions don't look too easy, it must be said, but Strauss picks up yet another single into the midwicket region. I'm guessing from the silence that there are no married couples out there wasting their Friday evening reading this. Any divorcees? Meanwhile, England need another 179 off 35 overs. By no means a gimme.

16th over: England 71-1 (Strauss 41, Bell 14) Enter Abdul Razzaq for Asif (7-1-25-1) and Bell cuts in the air for four. Rana Naved looked like he had cut it off at wide third man, but the ball evaded his grasp mid-tumble and dribbled onto the boundary. The next ball is short and wide too and that's four more: poor ball, great shot. And there's four more: another hopeless delivery from Razzaq and another cut, this time well over the head of backward point. The next ball is an off-side wide: 14 off Razzaq's first over, and here come the drinks.

17th over: England 75-1 (Strauss 42, Bell 16) England are doing this nicely right now, but they haven't faced Pakistan's spinners yet, and Mike Yardy showed how much turn was available earlier. This game ain't over yet, folks. Meanwhile, Strauss tucks Rana through midwicket for a single. Rana then oversteps and collapses in a heap as if it wasn't his fault. Inzamam puts his hands on his ample hips and stares impassively. Bell picks up two off his hip and that's four off the over.

18th over: England 78-1 (Strauss 44, Bell 17) It looks pretty gloomy out there - I wonder how effective the lights are as someone resembling Abdul Razzaq bowls to a character who may or may not be Andrew Strauss. The Strauss lookalike collects a single through square-leg, before some bloke doing an uncanny impression of Ian Bell nudges the ball fine for one more. (OK, so you get the picture. Or maybe you don't. I'll stop now.)

19th over: England 82-1 (Strauss 48, Bell 17) Great shot from Strauss who creams Rana through the covers on the up. The shot of a man in form.

"Booth - being the world's greatest Ian Bell fan, if he scores the feted 8,000 Test runs would you support a Warwickshire members' vote to name an end of Edgbaston after him?" asks Simon Hudd. Of course, Simon. He should have an end named after him already. And, please, no crass jokes about the Bell End. Unless that was the whole point of Simon's email... Gah!

20th over: England 85-1 (Strauss 49, Bell 19) Apart from that flurry against Razzaq, Bell hasn't looked the most fluent, but there's a single to deep square-leg. As long as he hangs around, he can look as rough as Smyth after a night on the tiles. Strauss moves to 49 with a cut into the ground that bounces out of reach of point, but that was a better over from Razzaq, whose astonishing 75 off 72 balls earlier in the day could yet settle this match.

"Not divorced or married I'm afraid," says Fiona Strachan. "I'm watching the match on Sky with my equally single twin sister but we are reading the OBO and drinking sparkling Vouvray! Would like to have seen the damage that Monty could have done cosidering the turn that Dalrymple and Yardy were getting."

21st over: England 100-1 (Strauss 51, Bell 32) Classy stroke from Bell, who eases a Rana half-volley through extra-cover for four. The next ball brings him another boundary but that was pure luck: a beautiful ball that squared Bell up, took the outside edge and would have been caught by second slip if there had been one. And there's four more: this time over midwicket. Three fours in three balls for the second time in Bell's innings. A quick single follows. That's superb from Bell. Strauss completes the over with a cover-drive for two to move to 51 and bring up England's 100.

"I'm no expert with Hawkeye," begins Ian Bezodis, unpromisingly, "but I can see a couple of problems with using it for slip catches. Although you'd know roughly where the slips are likely to stand, you don't know for sure where they'll be, and I would imagine you'd have to set up and calibrate the system before play and couldn't really adjust it afterwards. When using it for LBWs or line calls, you know exactly where the incidents are going to happen so it would be easy to set up. I guess you could set it up to cover a wide enough area for all possible locations of the slips, but if they're standing back to Shoaib, for example, the increased area covered might well cause the accuracy of the system to be reduced." A very good point after a faltering beginning, Ian.

22nd over: England 101-1 (Strauss 51, Bell 33) On comes Shahid Afridi to purvey his brisk top-spinner - this game could enter a new phase here. Bell paddle-sweeps his first ball for a single as some clown wearing a "We love Bumble" t-shirt leers at the camera. One off the over.

23rd over: England 106-1 (Strauss 55, Bell 34) Shoaib Akhtar returns to the attack and Pakistan know that their only chance now is to bowl England out. Sensible decision from Inzy with England starting the over needing only 135 more. This might sound like a stupid question at 8.10pm on a Friday, but is anyone still out there? Bell steals a quick single into the off-side, and Strauss then collects a very welcome four with a controlled edge past first slip.

24th over: England 114-1 (Strauss 60, Bell 36) Pakistan are keeping a slip in for Afridi, which makes sense: they need wickets. But both batsmen stroll singles and England's cause is helped by a leg-side wide. Bell then nicks a single towards point before Strauss pulls violently for four. I can't believe I'm writing this, but England are cruising.

"Well," says Gary Naylor, "if ever Sky were wondering about introducing FanZone commentary (as per the football), Ms Strachan (over 20) has pitched it perfectly." What do you say, Fiona and twin?

25th over: England 118-1 (Strauss 62, Bell 38) If England don't win from here, I'm going to be one angry OBO writer. It's been a while since I've described an England one-day victory - I think it was before Christmas in Pakistan. There's a thought... Anyway, Strauss gets away with a top-edged paddle-pull off Shoaib that lands short of fine leg, but Bell is looking more secure by the over. His emergence as a decent No3 is a real plus ahead of the World Cup. England are halfway there exactly, both in terms of overs and runs. I'll get my anorak...

"Si Begley (over 10) suggests that a trip down under maybe pushing Tres too far," says Jim Stay. "I say take the man and see how far he can be pushed. If it doesn't work out he will still have lovely sunshine and sandy beaches to chill out on, paid for by the ECB, which may go someway to making him a happy bunny again."

26th over: England 127-1 (Strauss 66, Bell 43) Strauss takes three off Afridi's first two balls and Bell steals an off-side single. Too easy for England, this. And there's four to Bell - a cracker through the covers!

27th over: England 133-1 (Strauss 70, Bell 45) Shoaib Malik enters the attack but his first two balls are short and wide and Strauss helps himself to three runs. England are doing this at a canter at the moment. I'm off to a wedding in Devon tomorrow. Lulworth, to be precise. Anyone else going?

28th over: England 140-1 (Strauss 71, Bell 51) Mohammad Hafeez replaces Afridi, who wasn't as effective as I thought he might have been. That's a victory for England. Hafeez bowls off-breaks and goes round the wicket to Strauss, who is beaten by one that turns and bounces. But the singles are still coming at a very healthy trickle as far as England are concerned. I wonder when we reach the stage at which they can no longer lose. There's four to Bell, an outside edge to third man, and there's his half-century, off only 53 balls. It also brings up the hundred stand. It ought to be a match-winning one. Surely.

"What's all this about you still not liking Ian Bell?" says Faraz Sarwat. "Is there anyone else in England who can open or bat anywhere from numbers 3 to 6? Who do you like then, John Crawley?" Er, what gives you the impression I don't like Belly? I'm his biggest fan!

29th over: England 146-1 (Strauss 76, Bell 51) Strauss cuts Malik uppishly past cover for four - a poor ball and very nearly a dodgy shot. England don't need to take any risks at all: they only need four and a half an over.

"I'm still here, Lawrence, because we work long hours at the Financial Times," grumbles Robert Wright. "Discouragingly for you, however, I'm about to go. I normally leave on a Friday around midnight after a 14-hour day. But an old colleague is in town, so I'm going for a drink. Let's see what inventive way England can find of losing from here, however."

WICKET! Strauss b Mohammad Hafeez 78 (148-2) Strauss is bowled round his legs on the sweep to end a fantastic innings. It should be enough to have steered England to victory, but you never know...

"I'm out here still," says Tom Stoddart. "Well, at home now, having started reading this at work. I want to say 'I was there when England won their first one-day match this summer...'" Hang on in there, Tom.

31st over: England 148-2 (Bell 51, Pietersen 0) Mohammad Asif returns to the attack as Pakistan go in search of another breakthrough. If Bell were to go now, we'd have two new batsmen at the crease, and then anything could happen. But let's be optimistic. England are on the brink of winning their first serious one-day international (sorry, Ireland: you don't count) since Jamshedpur in April, a game that was played in such steaming conditions that Strauss ended up on a drip. A maiden to Bell.

"I'm following your updates, but I'm in Pittsburgh where it's mid-afternoon and no one here has ever heard of OBO so I can read this to my heart's content," says Alex Eggeman. "No one else in the city is working after the Steelers opened the NFL last night, the game started at 8.30 and finished at past midnight. During which they played 60 mins of actual sport (sic). And they all complain to me that cricket is slow!"

32nd over: England 152-2 (Bell 53, Pietersen 2) Kevin Pietersen gets going with a push down the ground off Hafeez, who feels he is impeded by Bell as he tries to field the ball. Bell was just standing his ground though - nothing wrong with that. Bell then misses an attempted cut: England just need to take stock and remind themselves that they are in control here. Four singles off the over.

"Was I dreaming, or did someone just say a couple of twin sisters were sharing a bottle of pop whilst watching the cricket?" drools Andrew Thomas. "People would pay good money to see that. And while I'm on the subject of young ladies, can I mention the www.steamyladies.co.uk 2007 calendar? It's for Macmillan Cancer Relief and features young ladies buffing up steam engines on the Ffestiniog Railway in varying states of undress. It's all done in the best possible taste and only seven of your Earth pounds."

33rd over: England 155-2 (Bell 56, Pietersen 2) Bell pulls Asif for two, then plays and misses. There have been a few signs in the last couple of overs that Bell is in danger of throwing it away. He needs to see England through, and there's a single past the diving backward point. KP is almost undone by a beauty last ball of the over but somehow fails to nick a brute of a lifter.

"I actually work for Hawkeye," says Luke Randall, "and I am currently at the US Open watching said tennis players grunting and trying to find "The Zone". I can tell you that the system looks at the wicket only and therefore we don't see slip catches or even short-leg catches. You can also let Ian Bezodis, surely a made-up name, know that he was pretty much spot on with what he said about calibration and all that junk and would he like a job."

34th over: England 161-2 (Bell 60, Pietersen 3) Pakistan are making the ball do a bit now and the commentators are speculating that it is because of the lights. When in doubt, blame the lights. Journalistic careers have been based on that maxim. Razzaq oversteps before Bell guides a single to third man. But England aren't finding runs easy to come by here and KP has to hustle to take a single to mid-on.

"Can't imagine what Gary Naylor has against the Vouvray-supping twins (over 20) but it's not as sad as me who is quaffing Efes beer in Istanbul whilst listening to a nearly-in-sync-streaming TMS," says Martin John Chambers.

As drinks come out, here's OBO stalwart Rachel Clifton. "Still sticking with the OBO despite being at home and watching the game on Sky," she hiccups. "Somehow it makes it easier to bear the usual misery of these ODIs with the support group that is the OBO community. The bottle of Merlot is helping too - surely KP is due a score here, right?" I'm not sure he'll have enough time, Rachel. England need only 75 more.

35th over: England 167-2 (Bell 64, Pietersen 4) OK, OK, so Lulworth is in Dorset, not Devon. Congrats to several of you for spotting the deliberate effort. Back at the ranch, Bell gets away with a looping leading edge off Asif that just clears Shoaib Akhtar at mid-off and runs away for two. The luck has gone with England in this innings, especially as Shoaib didn't make much of an effort to catch the ball. England need 69 off 15 overs. A doddle in anyone's book. Eh? Oh.

"Dear, dear," says Heather Mason-Allen after looking at the Steamy Windows calendar. "I've often wondered what my friend Andrew gets up to on those trips to Wales, but I never imagined it was as sordid as that. Anyway the cheque's in the post."

36th over: England 173-2 (Bell 65, Pietersen 9) Cracking straight-drive for four by Pietersen, who leans into a Razzaq half-volley and barely bothers running. Next ball he's dropped by Inzamam at shortish extra cover: that was hit very hard but it was straight at him.

"I'm still here Lawrence," says my near-namesake Anton Lawrence, "but I have just come back from the pub, and I am about to cook some tea. What do you fancy? I hope it is pasta and (freshly made) tomato sauce..." Sounds tempting, Anton, but I've already wolfed down some carbo-heavy fish and chips.

37th over: England 177-2 (Bell 67, Pietersen 11) Here comes Shoaib Akhtar with Pakistan desperate for a wicket. England need 63 more at the start of this over, which - as I keep saying while touching Smyth's head - ought to be a cinch. Pietersen takes a single, before Bell squeezes one off the outside edge to third man. Pietersen gets a less deliberate outside edge in the air through the vacant second slip, but that's a good tumbling stop by third man: one run. England need 59 off 13.

"Martin John Chambers? With a name like that why isnt he watching the cricket, whilst commentating with Aggers on 198 long wave?" writes Graham Facey Dribblington-Jones.

38th over: England 184-2 (Bell 68, Pietersen 16) An all-run four for Pietersen after a double piece of tomfoolery from Rana Naved on the deep midwicket fence. Hilariously, Rana slips over twice as he tries to gather the ball, prompting much mirth among the crowd. Seven off Razzaq's over.

"I've nothing against the over-20 twins," says Gary Naylor, "except that I suspect they are a couple of Guardian subs next door in possession of the full complement of male chromosomes." Au contraire, Gazza. Fiona has sent me a picture of her sister Hilary (quite unsolicited, I might add) and I can confirm that they are very definitely female.

39th over: England 191-2 (Bell 74, Pietersen 16) Bell uppercuts Shoaib for two and there is an outside chance that he could yet end up with a century here. He'll need to outscore KP by three to two, assuming they both last the course. A leg-side wide from Shoaib reduces the equation to 49, before an absolutely crunching cover-drive for four by Bell makes it 45 needed off 11.

Here's Fiona Strachan, whose "twin" revelation has stirred the interest of several readers, none of whom I will be referring on to the Strachan sisters, who obviously deserve far better. "Andrew Thomas (32nd over) is only dreaming in the sense that he thinks Vouvray is pop," she says.

40th over: England 195-2 (Bell 74, Pietersen 20) It's a matter of when, not if, now for England. It's been a while, and it's almost been worth the wait. Mike Yardy bowled superbly on his debut, Strauss played beautifully and Bell has looked a class apart yet again. And there's a straight-drive for four by Pietersen to end the Razzaq over.

"Can you let Luke Randall know that my name is most definitely not made up," says Ian Bezodis. "Well, apart from the first bit, by my parents. Apparently my surname is Cypriot, although my Dad has tried to trace his family tree, and although he's got back five or six generations, all he got to was a baker in south London! Anyway, I'm sure that's more than enough revelations about my ancestors. Can you also enquire of Luke whether he was serious about the job offer? I'm currently searching for employment in exactly the kind of field that Hawkeye works..."

41st over: England 198-2 (Bell 76, Pietersen 21) Pietersen nicks a quick single off the off-colour Rana Naved into the leg-side as England inch towards a win that will give them the chance of squaring the series on Sunday.

"Apparently the 40th Anniversary Star Trek geek fest is here in Toronto this weekend," says Tom Dabson. "If one person does that Mr Spock finger thing anywhere near me this weekend I'll introduce them to the business end of a cricket bat." Steady, Tom.

42nd over: England 204-2 (Bell 77, Pietersen 26) The end is nigh here for Pakistan, so Inzy duly decides he has had enough and chugs off the field. Razzaq immediately drops Bell off his own bowling, but grasses a catchable chance to his right. Bell responds with a single to third man and there's Pietersen's bottom-handed whip through midwicket for four. Shot! Six off the over: 32 needed.

"Hello Lawrence," says Hilary Strachan. "I am the other cricketing twin. Just wanted to say we are real and have been to all days of the Tests at Old Trafford for the last four years. Come on the lads. No boot-camp shenanigans needed for our boys. Ho ho ho. Lots of love, Hilary."

43rd over: England 218-2 (Bell 79, Pietersen 36) Pietersen pulls Rana high and handsome for four, then takes a single into the covers. Bell will probably not get his century here. Shame. Pietersen then cracks a Rana no-ball down the ground for four. That was the ball after a wide. Victory is approaching, so get out the bunting and crack open the bubbly.

"Pictures of the Over 20 Twins?" roars Andrew Thomas. "This isn't doing my blood pressure any good, you know. If I succumb to an aneurism, rest assured you will be hearing from my lawyers."

44th over: England 222-2 (Bell 80, Pietersen 37) This game is petering out to its inevitable conclusion, which is not to say I'm anything other than thrilled by an England win. Actually, that's putting it too strongly. I'm actually pretty knackered.

"As an identical twin myself," says Tom Hopkins, "I'd like to ask the Strachans' opinion. When you first inform someone of your twin status, do you find "do you have some kind of psychic link?" or "if she broke her arm, would you feel it?" a more tedious question to have to answer?" Well, do you have some kind of pyschic link? Eh?

45th over: England 227-2 (Bell 80, Pietersen 37) Well, it's been a while: April to be precise. That was when England last one an international of any consequence that was not a Test match. I remember it well, because I was there. Ah, we'll always have Jamshedpur. Five extras off that Mohammad Hafeez over. England are nine runs from the promised land.

46th over: England 232-2 (Bell 85, Pietersen 37) Bell hammers Afridi through the covers for four, then picks up a single thanks to a fumble at midwicket. He's three runs short of his ODI best and he's played really well tonight in conditions that have not always suited the batsmen.

England have won by eight wickets Ladies and gentlemen, England have done it! The magic moment arrives at 9.45pm courtesy of a one-bounce four by Pietersen off Hafeez and for the first time since April, England have won an ODI that anyone actually cares about. Bell finishes with 86, Pietersen with 41, and there are 22 balls to spare. It's been enjoyable. Thanks for all your emails and see you soon.